Governance Development Seminars and Workshops Programme 2015/16 The Ten Principal Responsibilities of Good Governance 1 Formulate and agree the mission and strategy including defining the ethos of the college. 2 Be collectively accountable for the business of the college taking all decisions on all matters within their duties and responsibilities. 3 Ensure there are effective underpinning policies and systems, which facilitate the student voice. 4 Foster exceptional teaching and learning. 5 Ensure that the college is responsive to workforce trends by adopting a range of strategies for engaging with employers and other stakeholders. 6 Adopt a financial strategy and funding plans which are compatible with the duty to ensure sustainability and solvency of the college. 7 Ensure that effective control and due diligence takes place in relation to all matters including acquisitions, subcontracting and partnership activity. 8 Meet and aim to exceed its statutory responsibilities for equality and diversity. 9 Ensure that there are organised and clear governance and management structures, with well- understood delegations. 10 Regularly review governance performance and effectiveness. From the Code of Good Governance for English Colleges About the programme Building on the success of the 2014/15 programme, our series of seminars and workshops for 2015/16, developed with advice from a group of Governors and Clerks from colleges in the region, further supports the development of excellence in college governance. Seminars and workshops take place on Saturday mornings at college venues across the West Midlands. They are free to attend for any Governor at a further education college, sixth form college or independent specialist college. Each session begins at 9am and is completed by 12pm. A light breakfast is available from 8:30am. We know that college Governors have a wide range of experience and knowledge; we have therefore reflected this in both the content and delivery of each seminar and workshop. All content is informed by the latest developments in policy, strategy, inspection and funding as they impact on colleges, including the recently announced proposals for Area Reviews. The practical workshops include a mix of input from experienced managers and Governors from colleges together with interactive workshop activity where Governors are able to share experience and learn from each other. Specialist seminars are delivered by experts from organisations who work in the further education sector. 4 Introductory Seminars and Workshops 6 Intermediate Seminars and Workshops 8 Advanced Seminars and Workshops 9 Other Events and Workshops during 2015/16 11 Contributor biographies 14 2015/16 Diary 15 Delegate comments 3 Introductory Seminars and Workshops These three sessions explore the business of governance in further education and the key elements of Governors’ responsibilities. Whilst the sessions are primarily targeted at those who are new to further education, many Governors and Clerks will find the sessions useful as a refresher. They also provide an opportunity to share experience with participants from other colleges on the core aspects of college governance. An Introduction to What’s covered? Further Education • A comprehensive overview of the further education system and and the Role of the the place of colleges within it Governor • The business of college governance and the responsibilities of college Governors, including the Code of Good Governance for English Colleges • The characteristics of the effective Governor and the key features of effective governance When is it taking place? Saturday 17 October 2015 at Wolverhampton Science Park Who’s contributing? Steve Sawbridge, Regional Director at AoC West Midlands, together with input from an experienced Governor and a Clerk from one of the region’s colleges. 4 Funding and Financial What’s covered? Accountability • The economic and financial context in which colleges are operating • How colleges receive funding and the parameters which affect this • Opportunities and strategies to diversify income • Monitoring and assuring financial performance and health • The process for intervention in instances of financial failure When is it taking place? Saturday 28 November 2015 at Walsall College Who’s contributing? Peter Merry, Finance Director at Walsall College will give a view on how his college manages finance, and there will be contributions from Steve Sawbridge and other regional college managers and Governors. The workshop includes analysis and discussion of a college case study. Quality and What’s covered? Inspection • The role of Governors in relation to the scrutiny of teaching, learning and assessment • Ofsted’s responsibilities and how it inspects the effectiveness of governance in relation to teaching, learning and assessment • Assessing your own and others’ approaches to the scrutiny of teaching, learning and assessment and how this could be improved When is it taking place? Saturday 30 April 2016 at Walsall College Who’s contributing? The workshop is led by Steve Sawbridge, with input from a senior HMI from Ofsted. The session includes practical elements with plenty of opportunity for discussion of the current issues for colleges in improving quality in their core activity. 5 Intermediate Seminars and Workshops The three intermediate sessions enable more experienced participants to explore topics in more detail. The sessions assume some prior knowledge of the topic and are particularly suitable for chairs of relevant sub-committees. The Legal Framework What’s covered? for Governance • Current legislation and the impact on college governance of the 2011 Education Act • Governors’ legal obligations and liabilities • The legal implications arising from merger, federation and other organisational models and structures • The place of the Code of Good Governance for English Colleges When is it taking place? Saturday 30 January 2016 at Solihull College Who’s contributing? This will be a more fact-based session led by Eversheds LLP, but including plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion. Audit and Financial What’s covered? Regulation • Current regulatory challenges for further education governance • The responsibilities of Governors, the Audit Committee and the Audit Committee chair • What happens when it all goes wrong – managing risks and failure • Changes to assurance • How to achieve effective assurance • Equipping the Audit Committee to meet its responsibilities When is it taking place? Saturday 27 February 2016 at Queen Alexandra College Who’s contributing? The session will be led by Anna Lancefield, Manager, Grant Thornton LLP who will encourage Governors to assess the current practice of their Governing Bodies and consider the potential for new ways of working. 6 Strategy, Planning Set within the context of a rolling programme of Area Reviews, this workshop focuses on strategy and planning at individual college and Organisational level. Review What’s covered? • The college strategic planning cycle • Planning for improvement and financial stability • Undertaking an organisational review – what to cover and who to consult • Managing outcomes and assessing strategic options When is it taking place? Saturday 4 June 2016 at Solihull College Who’s contributing? The session will be led by a senior manager from AoC with input from a senior college manager. We also aim to include input from a member of the FE Commissioner’s team, subject to availability. 7 Advanced Seminars and Workshops These sessions focus specifically on the skills required of Governors for the effective oversight of the college and the Executive Team. In comparison with other parts of the programme there is a far greater emphasis on skills development and practice. The sessions are particularly suitable for Chairs and Vice-Chairs. Two sessions are currently planned for 2016. Managing What’s covered? Performance • Developing an effective Governing Body – the Governing Body as a Governance Team • Effective leadership • Setting performance outcomes • Appraising the Board and Chair • Appraising the Principal When is it taking place? Saturday 19 March 2016 at Wolverhampton Science Park Who’s contributing? The session will be led by Carol Jones, Chair of Governors at Stoke- on-Trent College, and National Leader of Governance. This is a fully interactive session with plenty of opportunity for sharing experience. Scrutiny and What’s covered? Accountability • Roles and responsibilities – the balance between governance and management • Developing an effective governance model for oversight and assurance across all areas of responsibility • Assessing and challenging performance • Confronting difficult issues and dealing with conflict When is it taking place? Saturday 2 July 2016 at Queen Alexandra College Who’s contributing? The session will be led by a member of the National Leaders of Governance team. 8 Other Events and Workshops during 2015/16 Area Reviews The Government has announced plans to undertake a rolling programme of Area Reviews of post-16 education and training institutions between September 2015 and March 2017. All Governors, and particularly Chairs of Governing Bodies, will be involved in the review process in their areas with the outcomes of the reviews having potentially significant implications for individual colleges and their Governing Boards. Guidance on the conduct of the Reviews has now been published. We are committed to ensuring that through our regional programme we provide support